Refrain from commenting on abrogation of articles 35-A, 370 till SC verdict: Omar to Centre

National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah Thursday said the Centre should repose its faith in the Supreme Court and refrain from bullying the people of Jammu and Kashmir with unwarranted threats of repealing articles 35-A and 370 of the Constitution.

Addressing a party function at Eidgah in the city, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said petitions challenging the constitutional validity of articles 35-A and 370 are sub-judice and the Centre should wait for the verdict.

"Do they not believe in the final decree of the Supreme Court of India? Contrary to the disdain the incumbent central government has for the rule of law and the procedures established by the law of country, our party has reposed its faith in the Supreme Court," Abdullah said.

"The matter is sub-judice, therefore it (Supreme Court) should be kept aloof from politicking. I would appeal (to the) government of India to refrain from commenting on the issue till the final verdict comes," he added.

Article 370 grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir and limits Parliament's power to make laws concerning the state. Article 35-A empowers the state assembly to define 'permanent residents' for bestowing special rights and privileges on them.

The NC vice president said the untenable advisories issued by the state administration have created a fear psychosis in the state, particularly in the Kashmir region.

"People in the Valley are going through anxiety in the wake of rumour mongering set afloat by the administration. Whosoever goes to government offices is being warned to stock necessary household items and other edibles before August 15. Here what is worrisome is that the rumours are being set afloat by the people in the administration itself," he said.

"What is it that the government of India and the state want to achieve by bullying people? It is not New Delhi that suffers whenever situation is difficult in the state; it is the people of Kashmir who bear the direct brunt of a tumultuous situation," he added.

Abdullah alleged that statements by some Union ministers, hinting at abrogation of Article 35-A after August 15, have also kept the rumour mills churning. The NC leader also warned against trifurcation of the state.

"Today we are hearing that the state will be trifurcated. However, let me make it very clear that any misadventure in this direction will set the state on fire," Abdullah said.

"Any whimsical attempt to trifurcate the state will eventually divide the state on religious lines. In those circumstances the state will be divided on Hindu, Muslim and Buddhist lines," he said.

In February this year, the Jammu and Kashmir administration created a separate division for Buddhist-majority Ladakh, which was part of Muslim-dominated Kashmir division. Hindu-majority Jammu is the state's third division.

Ladakh will now have a separate divisional commissioner and an inspector general of police with a full administrative and revenue division at par with Kashmir and Jammu divisions, an order issued by the administration had said.